1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to plant genetics. More specifically, the invention relates to compositions conferring resistance to plant disease, and methods for use thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cotton Root Rot, also known as Phymatotrichopsis Root Rot (PRR) is one of most destructive diseases of legumes such as alfalfa. It is caused by an asexual soil-borne fungus, Phymatotrichopsis omnivora (Duggar) previously known as Phymatotrichum omnivorum, and causes significant economic losses every year in the United States. P. omnivora has a very broad host range and attacks almost 2,000 dicotyledonous species, but interestingly it does not cause disease on monocotyledonous plant species, including maize and sorghum. The disease is economically important in alfalfa, other legumes such as beans and peanut, cotton, sweet potatoes, ornamental shrubs, and fruit, nut, and shade trees (Lyda, 1978; Lyda and Kenerly, 1992; Streets and Bloss, 1973).